Mote controlling device



July 7, 1936.

J. B. GRAVES. JR

MOTE CONTROLLING DEVICE Filed April 12, 1955 Patented July 7, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT orrics 2,046,623 MoTE CONTROLLING DEVICE of Texas Application April 12, 1935, Serial No. 15,989

11 Claims.

invention relates to new and useful improvements inmote controlling devices.

One object of the invention is to provide improved means arranged to be mounted at the upper end of. the air blast ductof a cotton gin, or'the like, which will eflectively direct the motes, trash, etc. to the mote conveyor after they are thrown from the ginning saws;

An important object of the invention is to provfde an improved" motecontrolling device which is connected with the air blast duct of a cotton gin, whereby an air stream is directed toward the 'inotes, trash and other extraneous matter, as it leaves the ginning saws, the directi'oho'f said air stream depending on the nature of said motes, etc'i, whereby regardless of the" conditions fihder which ginning is done, the motes, etc: are-positivefy directed to the mote conveyor and prevented from escaping with the ginned cotton through the cotton outlet. Still another object of the inventiohis -topiovide an improved means for directing a stream of 'aii 'int'o the mote chamber of a cotton girl, said means? being so arranged that it may be man- 1x2113 adjusted from the exterior of the gin,

whereby the direction of. said air stream may be readily variedi A construction designed to carry out thei'n'vention will be hereinafter described; together with other features of the invention;

'Ihe-inxiention will be'more readilyunderstood name: reading of thefollowing specification and by reference to the accompanying drawing, in

whichan' example of the inventioriis shown, and 35' wherein:

Figure 1 is a partial vertical sectional view'of afcottongin; having the attachment constructed in accordance with the invention mounted there- Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view ofthe attachment and' the parts of the gin adjacent thereto,

Figure 3 is a plan view,

Figure 4'is a transverse vertical'sectional view, taken on the line 44-of Figure 2,

Figurefi is a side elevation of theex'terior adjusting means;

Figure6 is a view, similar'toFigure' 2, showing another-farm of.' the invention, and

Figure '7 is a view similar to Figure 2 of a modified form'of this invention.

In the drawing, the numeral Ill designates-the rear portion-of an ordinary air blast cotton gin.

The gin has the usual-ginning saws H which revolve betweerrthe ribs l2- and I3. Behind the saws'the mote chamber I4 is formed and the mote conveyor I5 is located at the bottom of said chamber. The ordinary air chamber I6 is provided at the rear of the gin and an air blast duct l'l leads upwardly from said chamber to the saws. A nozzlelfl is provided at the upper end of the air duet; whereby the air contacts said saws. The air is then conducted downwardly through a secondair ductl9 which is connected with-the usual lint flue (not shown) 10 All" of the above parts are present in an air blast' gin and in operation, a suction fan (not shown) is connected to the downwardly extending duct l9, whereby air is drawn from the air chamher I 6, through the air blast duct l1 and past the saws at the nozzle 18, and then downwardly through the second duct I9. It is obvious, that the-suction so created will draw the cotton, which has been picked up and which is engaged in the teeth of the saws; from= said saws and will pull 20 it downwardly through'the duct l9 to the lint flue: (not'show'n). Thisisthe usual practice and all of the parts are subject to variation.

In the ginningoperation, the cotton ispulled through the ribs I 3 by the saws ll, thereby sepa- 25 rating the cotton from the seed. Although the ribs are close enough together to prevent the passage of said seeds, m0tes1trash and other extraneous matter, whicha're present in the cotton, are carriedthroughsaid-ribs'; This extraneous matter' is thrown from" the saws by centrifugal force at the point 20. The extraneous" matter is comparatively' light and when thrown from'th e saws, floats mthe upper end of the mote chamber above the air nozzle I8. Thus, since the weight of the motes, trash, etc., is'insuflicient to cause it to be thrown over the-upper closed end of the air' blast duct l1 and-downwardly into the mote conveyor Iii this separated extraneous matter which i'sfioating above the nozzle, is drawn down- 40 wardlyby the suction of the air in the duct l9. 'Ihis-caus'es-the'extraneous matter to again mix with the g'inned cotton which is being drawn from the saws' II by the suction, thereb'y causing the cotton passing to the lint'fiue (not shown) to be admixed with extraneous "matter.

To overcome this difiiculty, and for directing the separatedmotes," trash, etc. to the mote conv'ey'or, the upper closedend'of. the air blast duct I1, is formed with a-n-elon'gated trough or recess I1, A't'ransverse, tubular shaft 2| is mounted torotate in'this'recess (Figure 2) and is provided with'tru nnions2 at each end.- One of the trunnionsis iourr'ialed in one of the sidewalls ID of thegin, while" the opposite trunnionsextend through the other side wall of the gin. The latter trunnion is provided with an adjusting arm 23 (Figure 5) which is secured thereto. The outer end of the arm is provided with a spring-pressed finger 24 which is arranged to engage an arcuate gear rack 25, whereby the arm and shaft may be positively held in various adjusted positions.

The shaft is provided with an elongated slot 26 in its upper side which extends substantially the full length of said shaft. The underside of the shaft is provided with a plurality of openings 21 which are arranged to engage openings 21' in the recess Ii. With the parts in the position shown in Figure 2, it will be seen that since the air is sucked upwardly through the duct I1 and downwardly through the duct l9, it must pass the openings 21. When the openings 21' are registering with the openings 21, a portion of this air escapes upwardly through said openings and through the elongated slot 26 into the -mote chamber. The direction of the air passing through the slot 26 is controlled by the position of the shaft. As shown in Figure 1, the shaft is positioned so that the air passing through the slot is directed toward the saws Since the openings 21 and 21' are comparatively wide, the shaft may be rotated a considerable distance without moving them out of registration. Thus, the rotation of the shaft directs the air to a desired point in the mote chamber. Of course, it is possible to move the openings 21 and 21' out of registration, in which case the flow of air from the duct I1 is completely out off and the gin operates in the usual manner.

In actual practice, the air passing through the ducts II and I9 is not under pressure but is merely a constant circulation in a given path. Thus, the air passing through the slot 26 in the shaft is merely a constant air stream. When the motes, trash and other extraneous matter are dry, then the weight thereof is exceptionally light and the centrifugal force does not throw such extraneous matter any great distance from the saws In such case, the shaft 2| is rotated to direct the air stream passing through the slot 26 toward the saws as shown in Figure 1. This air stream engaging the motes, trash, etc., causes the same to be directed rearwardly into the mote chamber. The constant air stream also prevents this extraneous matter from being sucked into the duct 9, as has been explained.

If the extraneous matter is damp, due to weather conditions or for other reasons, then such matter has added weight and the centrifugal force will throw the same further into the mote chamber. In such case, the shaft 2| is rotated to direct the air stream more toward the rear of the mote chamber. Since cotton ginning is affected by various weather conditions, it is obvious that the shaft 2| would have to be adjusted under the various conditions, and no definite positions of theslots 26 can be given. However, the slot is located so that the air stream, emerging from said slot, will pick up the motes, trash, and other extraneous matter, after it has been thrown from the saws, and direct said extraneous matter into the mote chamber, and subsequently to the mote conveyor I5. As has been pointed out, the air is not under pressure but is merely a draft of air which serves to prevent the motes from falling into the range of the suction within the duct l9 and directs them to the mote chamber. Adjustment of the-"shaft is readily accomplished by the arm 23 located on the exterior of the gin wall l0.

In Figure 6, I have shown another form of the invention. In this form the upper end of the duct retains its usual shape and is provided with an elongated transverse slot 28. A transversely extending trough 29 is arranged to fit over this upper end and is secured thereto by welding or other suitable means (Figure 6). The trough supports the transverse shaft 2| and the operation is the same as in the first form. This form may be utilized as an attachment to the usual gin.

In Figure 7, a slightly modified form of the invention is shown. In this form, the upper closed end of the duct I1 is provided with a transverse slot 30. The slot is covered by an arcuate plate 3| which is provided with a central transverse slot 32. The plate is hinged to swing on trunnions 33 mounted in the side walls ll) of the gin. One of said trunnions may be extended to receive the adjusting arm 23. It is obvioustliat by rotating the arm, the plate is swung to move the slot 32 in the plate to various radial positions with relation to the immovable slot 30 in the top of the duct II. This movement of the slot 32wwill direct the air stream passing therethrough from within the duct II in various directions, whereby the direction of travel of the motes is controlled.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A mote controlling device for cotton gins having an air blast duct comprising, means arranged to be mounted at the upper end of the air blast duct of a cotton gin, said means being capable of undergoing a rocking movement to direct an air stream into the mote chamber in a desired direction to direct the motes to the moteconveyor of said gin, and means for adjusting said directing means to vary the direction of said air stream.

2. A mote controlling device for a cotton gin having an air blast duct comprising, swinging means arranged to be mounted in the upper end of the air blast duct of a cotton gin for directing a single air stream from said duct upwardly into the mote chamber in a desired direction to direct motes thrown from the saws of said gin to the mote conveyor of the gin.

3. A mote controlling device for a cotton gin having an air blast duct comprising, swinging means arranged to be mounted in the upper end of the air blast duct of a cotton gin for directing a singleair stream from said duct upwardly into the mote chamber in a desired direction to direct motes thrown from the saws of said gin to the mote conveyor of the gin, and means for adjusting said directing means to vary the direction of said air stream whereby efficient operation is had under varying ginning conditions.

, having an air blast duct comprising, a transverse rotatable shaft mounted in the upper end of the air blast duct of said gin and having an elongated slot for ejecting an air stream from said duct into the mote chamber of said gin to direct the motes to the mote conveyor of the gin.

5. A mote controlling device for cotton gins having an air blast duct comprising, a transverse rotatable shaft mounted in the upper end of the air blast duct of said gin and having an elongated slot in its upperend and also having openings in itsbottom, said duct having openings regan air" stream from said duct is directed into the mote chamber of said gin to direct the motes to the mote conveyor of the gin, and means mounted exteriorly of the gin and connected to said shaft, whereby actuation of said means will rotate said shaft to vary the direction of the air stream emitting through the slot of said shaft.

6. A mote controlling device for cotton gins having an air blast duct comprising, a transverse rotatable shaft mounted in the upper end of the air blast duct of said gin and having an elongated slot in its upper end and also having openings in its bottom, said duct having openings registering with the openings in the shaft, whereby an air stream from said duct is directed into the mote chamber of said gin to direct the motes to the mote conveyor of the gin, a swinging arm mounted on the exterior wall of the gin and connected with the shaft for rotating the same, whereby the direction of the air stream emitting from the slot may be varied, and means for holding the arm in various adjusted positions.

7. The combination with the air blast duct of a cotton gin having a slot in its upper end, of an arcuate plate having a slot extending therethrough, said plate being located to cover the slot in the duct, whereby an air stream is directed through the slot in the plate.

8. The combination with the air blast duct of a cotton gin having a slot in its upper end, of an arcuate plate having a slot extending therethrough, said plate being located to cover the slot in the duct, whereby an air stream is directed through the slot in the plate, and means for swinging said plate to vary the position of the slot to change the direction of said air stream.

9. The combination with the air blast duct of a cotton gin having a slot in its upper end, of a trough having openings at its bottom mounted on said duct, and a transverse rotatable shaft supported in the trough and having means for directing the air passing through the slot and openings into the mote chamber of the gin.

10. An attachment for cotton gins having an air blast duct comprising, a trough having openings in its bottom and arranged to be mounted on the upper end of the air blast duct of said gin, said duct having a slot registering with the openings, and a transverse rotatable shaft supported in the trough for directing the air passing through the slot and openings into the mote chamber of said gin.

11. A mote controlling device for cotton gins including, a mote chamber, an air flue having an air discharge, a movable member co-acting with the air discharge of the flue and located adjacent the mote chamber and ginning saws, said member having an air discharge, the mote chamber adjacent said member being unobstructed, whereby an unobstructed stream of air may be discharged by said member into the mote chamber, and means for moving said member to direct said air stream in a. desired direction.

JOHN B. GRAVES, JUNIOR. 

